A CRITICAL READING: CONTRADTCTORY
PERSPECTIVES ON PATRIARCHY AS SEEN IN THE
FEMALE CHARACTERS OF MARY E. WALKINS
FREEMAN'S "THE REVOLT OF,,IVOTHER''
Nandy Intan Kumta
QDQG\BLQWDQNXUQLD#XQ\DFLG
English Language and Literature Study Program,
English Education Department Faculty of Languages and Arts
Yogyakarta State University
Abstract
stLt.lents oJ English Langtoge ond Literanre study progran onaly:e The Reult of
'll4other' ", which is a short story written by Mary E. Il/dkins Freeman, b.v using a Jeninist
ctpproach- Mosi of then dt-e ln'ing lo.foctts theit' dlenlion lo its'female uojor chutacler, nomed
Motly
Scrcth Penn- ,She is seen as q sn-ong \\tonan v,ho has a coto'age to speak up her miwl anLl break the
patriarchal system. Howeyer, it is al.\o inportant lo qLtestion the point of tie*' of the other;femule
clttrracter in FreeDtqn's shorl slctrl'. A ctilic(tl readin2i on lhis work cttn give ne\\' insighls of lhe
ijomen pe'pecti\res on p. riLrchy. Tlterefore, this pctper explores llte cono'.tsl of
pefspeclil,es in relqtion to the pqttiQrchol s!-sLe,, ds t.eJlected in one oJ Freenlan
s
v)omen
shorl slories
Keyu,ords: ,1 critical reading. palriarchdl s)'stem, \ronlen's conlrddiclory pL't -\pL'tttvej
Abstrak
Banyak mahasiswa Prograrn Studi Bahasa dan Sastra Inggris menganalisis cerpen berjudul 'The
Revolt of 'Mother' " karya Mary E. Walkins Freeman dengan menggunakan pendekatan
femirisme. Sebagian besar dari mahasiswa tersebut memfokuskan kajiannya telhadap tokoh utama
yang bemama Sarah Pern. Sarah seorang perempuan yang kuat dan memiliki keberanian untuk
mengungkapkan isi pikirannya dan mematahkan sistem patriarki. Namun, penting pula untuk
,l.ngkuji tokoh perempuan lain dalam cerpen karya Freeman. Membaca k tis terhadap karya
tersetut dapat memberikan perbedaan terhadap sudut pandang wanita akan sistem patriarki. Oleh
karena itu, artikel ini akan menggali perbedaan sudut pandang wanita terkait sistem patriarki
seperti tercermin dalam salah satu cerpen karya Freeman.
Kata kunci: Membaca kitis, sistein patriarki, perbedaaD sudut pandang rvanite
A. INTRODUCTION
The setting of The Revolt of 'liother' is in a late nineteenth century rural New
England fam, and it tells about the life of farmer family who has been manied
for forty years. This family starts to face conflict when Adoniram (the male
character) plans to build a new bam on the area set aside for the new house
that he has promised to his wife, Sarah Penn, when they are still a new mamied
32
A Critical Reading: Cont,"dictory Perspeclives OD Parriarchy As Seen In The Female Clmmctem Of
Mary E- Walkins Freeman's The Revolt ol- Molher'
_
to
protest, but her husband refuses to listen to her
complain. When the build of the new bam is almost complete, Adoniram has
to leave the farm for several days. Sarah sees this event as an advantage. She
strikes back by conducting a'revolt'. She asks her two children (Nanny and
Sammy) to move to the new bam. Her decision makes her own children and
surroundings surprise. Finally, when Adoniram comes back fiom his joumey,
he feels confuse (their house becomes their bam, and vice versa) and finally,
he promises to grant everlthing his wife wants. This event makes Sarah as the
u,inner who successfully def'eats her husband as the s).rnbol of the patriarchal
couple. Sarah tries
fan.rily's ruler.
Sarah's victory over her husband steals the attention of many readels,
especially the students of English language and literature study program, who
are interested in the study of feminism, since it can be seen as the fall of the
patriarchal power. Moreover, many people also believe that Mary E. Walkins
Freeman, as the author ol this short story, is an author who gives her suppofi
in the development of feminism movement or at least she is trying to give
'voice' to women who have to face injustice in tl.reir lives. However, this paper
tries to seek further in what u,ay Freeman's "The Revolt of 'Mother"'can be
seen as a medium to criticize the patriarchal system and in the same tirr-re it
also can be seen as her ways to promote the feminist agenda, and in what way
tl.ris story is opposed to the feminist agenda. By analyzing this short story the
writer wants to make readers (especially the studer.rts of English and Language
Literature study program) realize that they should have broaden perspectives
and do not easily be trapped to the stereotype that are given to a cedain author.
B. DISCUSSION
l.
Mary E. Wilkins Freemair
Reuben (201 I ) writes in "PAL: Perspectives in American Literature - A
Research and Reference Guide - An Ongoing Project" that Freeman is
trying to explore the live of the New England women in 19th century
through her progressive feminist writings. As a female author she
discusses various themes related to wornen's issues. Fufihermore- since the
1960s, rnany readers applied feminist criticism to her writir.rgs:
Many critics feel that Freeman's rvomen. rvhelher married or not, v,'hcn
conironted by unreasonable and dominating male demands, muster latent
and, to the men, unexpected strengths, and reveal an irnpressive spirit of
indepcndence.' (Westbrook in Reuben. 201 I ).
Based on the above quotation, it is clear that many researchers are falling
in love with Freeman's r.l,ritings because she actively discusses about
rvomen's subjects. Moreovcr. many of them believe that through her
wntings, Freeman is trying to encourage women to fight for their freedorr.r.
Reuben (201l) explains further, Freernan portrays the live of women who
are trying to struggle to gain bettennent in their lives. In many of her
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DEIKSIS Jurnal Ilmiah Bahasa dan Seni, Vol.06 No.0l lJanuari - April2014
writings, she portrays the live of women who are not dependent upon
marriage, matemity and mothering and some of them even refuse to take
role as housewives or home keepers in the patriarchal families.
In line with Reuben. an article entitled "Regional Realism". also noted lhat
Freeman's best works are those wl.rich focus on the dilemma of women
whose lives are bounded by poverty and various form ofsocial constraints.
Those problems emerge because of their strict religious beliefs and also
their position as women. Moreover, she often explores the revolts and
victories of women in gaining and sustaining control over their domestic
sjtuatiorrs with humor and sensitir ity.
2.
Patnarchy and the Feminists
In this
paper the term feminist is broadly defined as someone who
struggles to achieve equality, dignity, rights, and freedom for women to
control their own [ives. While in the below section, the writer will give the
explanation of the patriarchy's concept based on several researchers.
Hooks in her "Understanding Patriarchy'' defines patriarchy as:
a political -social system that insists that males are inherently dominating,
superior to everthing and everyone deemed weak, especially females, and
endowed with the right to dominate and rule over the weak and to maintain
that dominance through various forms of pschological terrorism and
violance.
Thus, based on Hooks' definition, rnale is the ruler of the 'wolld', while
female is the the one who should obey the rules which the ruler has made
fbr her.
Hooks explains further that the patriarchal system is taught through
religion, and even sometimes by the use of violence to reinforce people's
indoctrination and acceptance of this system. In fact, it tries to indoctrinate
that men are created by God to rule the world and everyhing in it and it is
the duty of women to help men. Some of the premises of this system are:
men as the rulers have to be served, to be strong, to provide, think,
strategize and plan, and also to refuse to nurture others. (ln the othcr hand,
women are the one who have to perfonn all tl.re tasks given by men and to
obey men. Moreover, women have to serve and to nurture others, to be
weak and to be free frorr the burden ol thinki:rg.
Ray in his arlicle "Understanding Patriarchl"' also has a similar opinion
with the previons opinion. He says that "Patriarchal constrlrctions of social
plactices are legitimized by religion and religious institution as most
leligious practices regard male authority as superior.'' He also rnentions
tl.rat church and state are the examples of r.nale dominated institutions.
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C;tical
Reading: Contmdictory perspectives On patriarchy As Seen In The Female Chamcters
Of
Mary E. Walkins Freeman s ..The Revoil of.Mothea ,.
Psychotherapist Bradshaw (in Hooks) also stated that patriarchy is
distinguished by the domination and power of men. He also argues that
most of the world's religious, school and family systems still use the
patriarchal rules. According to Bradshaw, commonly patriarchal parents
will do patriarchal violence to their own children.
In line with those experts, Rowbotham (in Walby, 1986: 30) also argues:
The term patriarchy necessarily implies a conception of women.s
oppression tl.rat is universalistic, ahrstoric and essentially biologistic and
that it incorectly leads to a search lor a single cause of uomen's
oppression either in base super-structure model or as quest for ultimate or
begins lrom caprtalisr relario ns.
Although, mostly the victim of the patriarchal system is women, however,
as stated by Hooks, the contemporary visionary feminists believe that a
patriarchal thinker can be male or female. He comments that..Women can
be as wedded to patriarchal thinking and action as men."
Furlhermore, accordrng to Hooks, many families try to hicle their stories
related to the bad eff'ect of the patriarchal systerr and this system has
deeply rooted in the values olmany cultures. In f-act, this is the one which
makes the patriarcl.ral culture still exists up to now. Thereby, it is di{ficult
to challenge and change the patriarchal system, which is mostly har.rcled
down from generation to generation. According to Hooks, rrost ol people
gain the knowledge of the patriarchal attitudes from their own mothers.
which then are reintbrced in many forms olinstitutions.
However, the f'eminists then try to challenge ihis systern. They use the
term "patriarchy" to replace the word "tnale chauvinisrn" ancl ..sexism'.
that are commonly used. The leminists want to make people to become
aware ol the negative impact of patnarchy. Hooks argues that the system
of patriarchy brainwashes men to believe that their dornination toward
women will give them benefit when it is not. Moreover, it also denies men
access to 'full emotional well-being' and it has dan.ragcd men from
generation to generation.
3.
Findings
As previously mentioned. this paper tries to discuss Freeman,s two f'entale
characters and their perspectives on patriarciry as seen in'.The Revolt of
'Mother"'. By discussing those aspects in the short stories. the writer of
thrs paper wants to throw new light on Freeman as a fernale author not just
on her stereotype as a feminist author.
a. The Character of Sarah Penn and her perspectives on patriarchy
"The Revolt of 'Mother' " opens with a scene in which the l'emale
main character, named Sarah Penn, gets very upset when her husband,
Adoniram, refuses to answer her question about what happens in their
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DEIKSIS I Jumal Ilmiah Bahatu
keeps tryng
get any answer from him' she
fields. Although she cannot
diggin' over in
to know what them men are
"
tn" neta for. an' i'm goin' to know
:ilHi:,?:;xi::iT';,,
character
Sarah Penn is a female main
The above quotation shows that
she states the
*o-"n.,yI::,
uttt"tye"ti
the
against
who soes
statemenl' "l'm goin' to
lri"r,ti" ..r"?.dly 'nd tt "n uit' u "'ong
u' *otutt with a high selfi''i"'*iUtJ
tl.rat
shows
it
know."
not easilv give up on something'
i
'f*
;;;;;;;i""s
remains
to give the ans\\er to his urle'
Adoniram, who does not want
to
power
has the
tt.tai t.'e is the one who
tl-'o*
to
way
his
is
This
silent.
the
but"tl^orl Hook's,1heolv' in
control everything in his
the
rule
by cod lo control and
natriarchal soclety men.. gl"l" "gtrc
und plun independentlv once
,i ir'i"t'
us th" leader of patriarchal
more time he tries to th"*;;;;;i;;n"e
house and stop asking him
l'amily by advising hit *it'"^;;;;;the
afrairs"'
,t" house' mother' an''tend to vourhisown
was
speech
f-tit words together' and
the old man said then U" tut
ui.ort ut inarticulate as a growl'
"i ain't goin'
was her most native tongue
it
understood;
woman
the
But
the
men are doin' over there in
into the house till you tell ;;rl,i;-th"field." said she'
h;;t;';;;;
'Ji;fi;;; "i*
'it" 'i*I"t'
t"Jll[JJ:1:ln,o
Whenherhusbar-rdStartstouseahighertone-alldforbidhertiom
hide the truth' Sarah refuses
interfering on his affairs *'ilit "it"'pit" inttt"tion to go into their
i*ulna;'
to listen and even aitou"v t't'
a""t not only possess a high se11'ti"
illustratls'if-r"i
event
This
house.
who cannot
as an autonomous person
esteem, but also she i' att"lf'"a
uy the head ofthe family'
u" f".lla
"t*
physical
the readers can see Sarah
story'
the
of
paft
other
the
In
with
sturt is porlrsyed as a uolnan
xoDearances o''a tr't'utt"ti'u'til"'
chld'
a
hei rook like
age' Her
description of wouan in her
an
i,t*ffi;;;;
';;A"l*;i'*r'iJ-'n"t-'
she has
Basically,
"tdi;;;
tr-," she is a compassionate and
gray hair und u -ott.'"tty iu[iil.,tit"ii
al her
Jt'cription of the way she stares
humble person Ho*"'"''''"}r""
not
;;;; ;yt' show.that she does heralraid
husband is quite unusual' H";
own
on
tf-r" tries to hide her strengtl.r
of him. It seems like u"tuuify
free wil1.
like a child in her
shofi and stra isht-waisted
-rild
She was a small woman,
benevolent betweelt
t.-o*n
"otto,
gown Her lorehead
*r,
alld
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A Critical ReadiDg: Contmdictory perspectives On patriarchy As Seen In The Female Chamcters
Ol.
Mary E. Walkins Freeman's .The Revoll of .Mothel ,,
the smooth curves ofgray hair; there were meek downward lines about
her nose and mouth; but her eyes, fixed upon the old man, looked as
the meekness had been the result of her own will, never of the will of
another.
if
It is clearly stated in the above quotation that Sarah is illustrated as a
women with courage. Through her sparkling eyes, it is very clear that
she is a leader of her own life, and no one can force her or rule over
her. She puts a compassionate and humble look on her face and hides
her powerful-daring eyes on her own free will.
As previously mentioned, the story faces its'conflict when the man of
the family wants to build a new barn without asking for permission
lrom the other family members. Sarah, as the wife, gets very upset
when she finally finds out that her husband tries to hide the truth that
he plans to build a new bam in the area where he has promised her to
set up a new house for their family. Then she openly expresses her
anger by telling her daughter, Nanny Penn, who is going to get mamed
soon, how men commonly treat women:
"You ain't found out yet we're women-flolks, Nanny penn,'' said she.
'You ain't seen enough of men-folks yet to. One of these days you'll
find it out, an' then you'll know that we know only what men-folks
think we do, so tar as any use of it goes, an'how we'd ought to reckon
men-folks in with Providence, an' not complain of what they do any
rnore than we du of the r.reather."
Based or.r the above quotation, it is clear that women have no right to
make decision. They have io follow the instructions that are given by
rren. They have no lreedom to think and act for themselves. Thus, in a
daily lif'e tl.rey have to accept men's treatments without any complaint
since it is men's fate to be the leader of women
Actually Sarah is po(rayed as a loving and caring figure ol wife and
mother in the same time. Eventhough she does not in the same boat
with her l.rusband related to his decision in building a new bam, she
still tnes to defend and shows her respect toward her husband in liont
of l.rer daughter. So, her daughter would not blame l.rer husband for his
decision.
You hadn't ought to judge father, though. He can,t help it, 'cause he
don't look at things jest the way we do. An' we've been pretty
comfortable here, after all. The roof don,t leak
ain,t never but once
that's one thing. Father's kept it shingled right-up.''
-
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a
Sarah realizes that her husband has a different perspective than her and
she also cannot deny that he has fought to give the best thing for his
family all of his life.
She also trigs to teach her daughter to be grateful of what she has got
beciiuse she can have a good life better than the others:
"Wetl, I don't think you'd better, a good father an'a good home as
you've got. S'pose your father made you go out an' work for your
livin'? Lots of girls have to that ain't no stronger an' better able to than
you be."
Thrs is a comrron way that is used by a mother to transfer knowledge
and experience to l.rer daughter. Unlike the stereot)?ical profile of
women in general, she can control her emotion in front ofher daughter,
although she gets very upset to Adoniram as her husband.
Sarah in this story is also porlrayed as a good housewife just like the
stereotypical houser.vil'e in the patriarcl.ral society who has to "take care
ol nurlure others" (Llook). As tire queen of the house. she can do her
job perfectly. She does tl.re don.restic activities and takes care of the
l.rousel.rold rvith passion and all of her heart. It is clearly seen lrom the
below quotation:
Sarali Penn washcd tl.re tiying-pan with a conclusive air. She scrubbed
the outside of it as laithfully as the inside. She was a masterly keeper
of her box of a house. Her one living-roon.r never seemed to have in rt
ar]y of the dust which the friction of lif'e with inanimate matter
produces. She swept, and there seemed to be r.ro dirt to go before the
broom; she cleaned, and one could see no difference. She was like an
artist so perl'ect that he has apparently no art. To-day she got out a
mixing bowl and a board, and rolled some pies, and there was no more
flour upon her than upon hcr daugl.rter who was doing finer work.
However, although she is described as a humble and passionate person
who always does her job with full of her heart, it does not mean that
she cannot express everything inside of her mind with a strong notion.
See how confident she is when she instructs her husbar.rd to listen to
her:
"Father. you come here." Sarah Penn stood in the door like a queen;
she held her head as if it bore a crown; there was that patience which
makes authority royal in her voice. Adoniram went.
Mrs. Penn led the way into the kitchen, and pointed to a chair. "Sit
down. fatl.rer.'' said she; ''l've got somethin'l want to say to you."
not only givc him an instruction, but also openly criticizing
liability olhis decision to build a nerv bam instead
of a new house for their family:
Sl.re does
and questioning the
l8
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A Critical Reading: Contmdictory pe$pectives On patriarchy As Seen
ln The Female Characters Of
Mary E. Walkins Freeman's "The Revolt of.Mother, .,
"l want to know if you think you,re doin, right an' accordin, to what
you profess. Here, when we was married, forty year ago, you promised
me faithful that we should have a new house built in that lot over in the
field before the year was out. You said you had money enough, an' you
wouldn't ask me to live in no such place as this. It is forty year now, an,
you've been -ikin' mo." money, an' I,ve been savin' of it for you ever
since, an' you ain't built no house yet. you've built sheds an'cow_
houses an'one new barn, an'now you,re goin,to build another. Father,
I want to know if you think it,s right. you,re lodgin' your dumb beasts
better than you are your own flesh an, blood. I want to know if vou
think it's right."
She expresses her feeling plainly and shows her rage to the head ofthe
family. It can be seen clearly through her buming fice and her gleamed
eyes, "she had ranged from severity to pathos;,'ln this part
ofitory, it
can be seen that she does not possess the image of a common
stereotypical woman in a patriarchal lamily who always has to be able
to eliminated her anger (Hook).
Indeed. Sarah is illustrated as a woman with a strong personality. For
example, one day when she got an idea which she claims as ..the guideposts of the Lord to the new roads of life,', she made up her mind
and
ready to take some actions related to the lile of her family. With a high
selfl-confidence she asks her children to move to their new barn. The
way she thinks and acts can be seen as evidence that she is a complete
break from the traditional stereot)?ing of woman in patriarchal society
that Hook describes in her "Understanding patriarchy,'as a person who
has to be free fiom the burden of thinking. Sarah does not only try to
think to 1'1nd the best solution lor her family, but also she manages to
take a real action to get betterment for her family.
Sarah decision to move her family and live in
their,new barn, create a
strong reaction from her society. Her neighbours gossiping about her
'strange' attitude, and even the minister of her village. Mr Hersey.
visiting her house to warn her that she has made a great mistake.
H-owever, Sarah can justify her decision and able to break the argunlent
of the ministry. who is known as the manifestation of God,s power on
earth:
"There ain't no use talkin'. Mr. Hersey.,' said she. .,I've thought it all
over an' over, an'l believe I,m doin, what,s right. I,ve made it the
subject olprayer, an'it's betwixt me an,the Lord an, Adoniram. There
ain't no call fbr nobody else to wory about it.,.
"Well. of course, if you have brought it to the Lord in prayer, and feel
satisfied that you are doing right. Mrs. per.ur.,' said the minister.
helplessly.
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DEIKSIS I Jumal Ilmiah Bahasa dan Seni, Vol' 06 No 01 | Januari - April
his own
The ministry has lost his power over Sarah' He cannot defend
that
argument a;d he fails to restore the social order which believes
words
of
the
*im"n al*ay. have to listen to men's order' especially
the
God's represerttative. Sarah has made up her mind and she knows
even
and
instructions
.onr.qr"n"". well. S-he disobeys her husband's
the
surprisingly, she challenges his power over her as the head of
family.
that she
As a person and also as a member of the church, she knows
best thing
has freedom to express her own opinion and to decide the
for her tamily ar.rd herself, and noone can delry that:
"l think it's right jest as much as I think it was right for our forefathers
to come or.i f.o* the old country 'cause they didn't have what
might
belongeri to'em." said Mrs. Penn. She arose The bam threshold
you mean
have f,een Plymouth Rock from her bearing' "l don't doubt
ought
hadn't
well, Mr. t{ersey." said she, "but there are things people
year'
to interf'ere with. I've been a member of the church for over forty
own
my
think
goin'
to
I've got my own rnind an' my own feet, an' I'm
goin'to
thoughts an' go n'ry own ways, an' nobody but the Lord is
dictate to me unless t've a mind to have him'
the
When the story comes to its end, it is obvious that Adoniram' as
is
who
the one
head of the f-amily, has been defeated by his own wife,
more
actually has to otey the head of the family's rule His wife is
powerful thar.r he is, and he cannot deny that:
'Sarah
bent over and touched her husband on one of his thin' sinewy
shoulders. "Father!"
The old man's shoulciers heaved: he was weeping'
"Why. don't dc so, thlher," said Sarah'
want'
everything you
partitions, an'
"1'11
put up the
-
-
-
mother."
her own
Sarah put her apron up to her face; she was overcome by
triumph.
and
Adoniram was like a tbrtress rvhose walls had no active resistance'
used
"Why'
went dowt.t the instant the right besieging tools were
as all
mother." he said. hoarsely- "I hadn't no idee yotl was so set on't
this comes to."
to
The above quotation clearly illustrates that rnen are not superior
women, and unlike one of the premises in the patriarchal systems
which stated that rnen have to be strong and should not be emotional
(Hook), in fact, tnen can be as emotional as women do The way
very
,q,doniiam act shows that he can be soo r''ulnerable and becomes
changed
emotional. At the end of the story the powerful Adoniram has
rnanifestation
into an interior one who cannot defend hinself As the
40
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A crilical Reading: conlmdictory perspecrives on parriarchy As seen
In The Female chamcten of
Mary E. Walkins Freeman's "The Revoh of-Molher' ..
of the leader in the patriarchal
domination.
system, Adoniram cannot show his
The characterization of the female main character of this short story
obviously points out that she is nol typically a woman commonly
found in a literary text dunng ihe era in which lt was written. Unlike
a
stereotypical woman at that time, she does not do what she is dictated
to.do. In this shoft story, Sarah is presented as a woman with a high
self esteem, autonomous, and does not afraid to express her feelings
and opinion. [n 1act, slie can make an in.rportant decision on her
own
liee will, although it means that she has to break the patriarchal rules
who always place men as the decision makers.
b.
The Character of Nanny penn and her perspectives on patriarchy
Nanny Penn is portrayed totally different tiom her own mother, Sarah.
She has "a pretty girl's lace, pink and delicate as a flower,,
that looks
very tender, and she also has,,sweet- slow voice... In fact, she possess
the stereotyping physical appearances and attitudes attributed to many
woman:
Her tender, sweet face rvas i'ull of a gentle distress. Her lbrehead was
as bald and innocent as a baby,s, with the light hair strained
back from
it in a row of curl-papers. She was quite large, but her soft curves did
not look as if they covered muscles.
Furthermore, she is also illustrated as a very naive woman who learns
many things from her mother. As a daughter she has to obey her
mother's instructions and does
all the household tasks without
complaining:
The,girl went to the sink, and began to wash the dishes that were piled
up there. Her mother came promptly out of the pantry, and shoved
her
aside. "You wipe'em." said she, .,l,ll wash. Thire,s i goocl many this
mornin'.'
The mother plunged her hands vigorously into the water, the girl wiped
the plates slowly and dreamily.
The way Nanny wiped the plates (slowly and dreamily) illustrates that
she is desribed as worlan with full ol fantasy. This is a conventional
stereotyping of women tn the patriarchal society, which believes
that
there is no need tbr women to use their brains to think. However,
they
can use them to daydreaming and live in fantasy. She does not
complain when her mother asks her to do those domestic duties ar.rd
lets people to rule over her, since she has not got enough courage and
self esteem to refuse those orrlers.
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41
DEIKSIS lJumal Ilmiah Bahasa dan Seni, Vol.06 No.01 lJanuari - April20l4
Another case which can be seen as evidence that Nanny is a naive
person happens when she seems very surprised and tries to deny the
truth related to her future husband. Her mother tries to wam her that
there is a high possibility that her future husband oneday will act just
like the other men do. It is possible that he w_ill try,to be superior and
she always has to obey his instructions:
''l
don't care;
i
don't believe George is anything like that, anyhow,"
said Nanny. Her delicate face flushed pink, her lips pouted softly, as
if
she were going to cry.
She cannot defend herself, she cannot give her best argumentation
toward her mother's opinion. The only thing she can do is denying
those possibilities and hoping that her future husband will be an
exception.
Nanny, who plans to get married in the fall, does not realize that men
always try to show their power over women since based on the
patrialchal system men are the ruler. Unlike her mother, Nanny's mind
is full of the ideal portrayal of marriage (that a husband will always
love his wife and will never try to dominate the life of his own wife),
which is possibly because the society has successfully indoctrinate her
mind through the religious practice.
C. CONCLUSION
From the discussion above, it can be concluded that "The Revolt of 'Mother"'
is to some extent self-contradictory. Freeman as the author cleverly explores
the revolt and victory of her main female character' in gainirrg and sustaining
control over her own domestic situations, and in the same time promotes the
feminists' agenda. In fact, in this shofi story she discusses women's issue and
challenging the patriarchal system. She is aware that the patriarchal system is
the main source for the damage of both men and women from generation to
generation by giving a clear picture of her female main character as a strong
woman who has courage to fight for her lreedom of speaking and gaining
independence by breaking the patriarchal system.
However, the existence of the other female character that has contradictory
perspectives on patriarchy. to soute extent. discourages Freeman's ow.n
attempts to promote the feminist agenda. Furthermore, the existence of her
'other' lemale character becomes a negative symbol that women still have to
fight harder in diminishing injustice in the future, which is as the result of the
patriarchy, since Freeman's female character has fallen into a conventional
stereotyping of women in the patriarchal society. Freeman's potrayal ofNanny
(as a woman in her young age who is about to get married) and her naive way
of thinking makes her can be seen as one of a blur image of women in the
future, that women still become the victim olpatriarchy.
42
ISSN 2085-2274
A critical Reading: contmdictory perspeclives on patriarchy As
seen ln The Femare chardclem
Mary E. Walkins Fr€eman's..The Revolr
of.,
ol.Mother'
As for suggestion, regarding with the findings of the analysis
of ..The revolt of
'Mother' ",the readers of literature, especiaily the
students who are majoring
in English Language and Literature, have to be aware and
do not easily bE
trapp:d to the stereotype that are given to a certain author
since it will
definitely impoverish their own experience of reading the
literary text
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hooks,
Bell.
Understanding
://i
Ilnenoborders.orp/Ddt/zin
Retrieved on November I lth,20l3.
Wilkins, Mary E.
Other
I 891
Patriarchy.
. "The Revolt of .'Mother.' From A New E;tgland Nun
and
and
Brothers Publisher.
Retrieved on
Walaby, Sylvia. 1986. Patriarchy at Work. Oxford..
Polity Press, Cambridge in
association with Basil Blackwell.
"Regional
realism".
Retrieved on November 20th. 2013.
ISSN 2085-227.4
43